In all the 114 chapters of the lengthy Quran, there are remarkably few verses in which Allah, the god of the universe, exhorts people to love him. In Quran 2:165, we read: “Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah, as equal (with Allah.: They love them as they should love Allah.” Other verses encouraging love for Allah include “…to spend of your substance, out of love for Him…” (Quran 2:177); “And they feed for the love of Allah (Quran 76:8).Yet it is striking that there are more than 60 verses in the Quran commanding the believers to fear Allah! An instructive, worthwhile sample of these verses is found here. (Please do take the time right now to visit this webpage, before returning back) Three notable verses are the following:1. "O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam. (Quran 3:102)

Allah chose not to say “Love Allah as he should be loved.” Allah very much wants to be feared.

2. “O you who believe! if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion (to judge between right and wrong), remove from you (all) evil (that may afflict) you, and forgive you: for Allah is the Lord of grace unbounded.” (Quran 8:29)

3. “As for those who fear their Lord unseen, for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward.” (Quran 67:12)

Allah pointedly declares that those who fear him will benefit greatly. They will be given the capacity to judge between right and wrong, they will be protected from evil, and they will obtain forgiveness and a “great reward.” Yet in the Quran Allah never promises all this to those who merely love Allah. So our debate questions are:

Why does Allah so strongly emphasize that he wants to be feared moreso than to be loved?

Is the god of the Muslms a God of Love, or is he instead a God of Fear?

Eliminating children before they become evil, homicidal dictators was NOT a priority to Allah

"Compassionate and Merciful" Allah was most concerned about the parents of al-Khidr's victim, but where was Allah's concern for the parents of all the victims of mass murderers?Would the world have been a better place had Hitler and Stalin been murdered by Allah before they became adults?Is the alleged oppression of 2 parents arising from the "rebellion & disbelief" truly a greater calamity than the deaths of thousands due to mass murderers?

Revealing that schistosomiasis is spread by snails was also not as important to the god of the vast universe (from Alpha Centauri to Betelgeuse to Rigel and beyond) as rushing to Muhammad's aid when shy Muhammad is confronted by unwelcome guests. We read in Quran 33:53: O Ye who believe! Enter not the dwellings of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time, unless permission be granted you. But if you are invited, enter, and, when your meal is ended, then disperse. Linger not for conversation. Lo! that would cause annoyance to the Prophet, and he would be shy of (asking) you (to go); but Allah is not shy of the truth.While Muhammad's companions are now long gone, malaria and schistomiasis (spread by snails) ​are present to this day. Do Allah's priorities coincide with your priorities?